By Rose Chavez | PREVIEW Columnist
Friends and visitors, we are ready to open more frequently to provide you with more options to join us in person for lunch during the week.
Starting the week of Monday, Sept. 12, we will be open for in-house dining Monday through Thursday. You will have the option still to dine in or do a grab-n-go service.
With more dine-in days as options, we could also use a few more volunteers to help, so please give us a call if you are interested in helping out. Consider the social benefits of gathering in person while we still take preventative measures and request proof of vaccination to participate in any of our activities.
Evidence-based Boost Your Brain and Memory program
Until recently, many doctors believed Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, was a genetic condition. But more doctors and scientists have begun to think of dementia as a preventable disease, similar to the way doctors now understand heart disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes. In fact, researchers believe up to two-thirds of one’s risk for developing dementia is determined by other factors, many of which can be controlled.
Mather Lifeways Institute on Aging, a leader in applied research in the field of aging, has created an evidence-based program that focuses on a variety of lifestyle factors that impact brain health.
The six-week program, called Boost Your Brain and Memory, is being offered to community members in partnership with the Evanston Long Term Care Commission virtually. The program incorporates video segments and instructor-led activities to guide older adults through a comprehensive overview of the findings and to offer specific activities and lifestyle changes that have been shown to decrease the risk of dementia.
We’re bringing back a popular brain health series as a virtual course and wanted to invite you to be among the first to take advantage of this free program. Developed by Mather Institute, Boost Your Brain and Memory is designed to help you learn and practice the most promising strategies for keeping your brain healthy as you age.
This six-part program uses a unique, whole-person approach to brain fitness, providing you with healthy practices that can help you remember things better, be more organized, pay closer attention and reduce your stress — as well as reduce your risk of dementia. Each course will meet weekly on Zoom for an hour to discuss one element of brain fitness, as well as set measurable and realistic goals, and learn memory techniques.
Choose from four different schedules — Tuesdays or Wednesdays, mornings or afternoons. Classes start the second week of September. To register or to learn details on the course, contact Mather at (888) 600-2560 or contact@mather.com. We’re excited to bring you this free program.
Save the date for
Big Band Benefit
The Big Band Benefit will be Sept. 23 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Put on your dancing shoes and join us for an evening of bebop and boogie-woogie big band-era music featuring Bob Hemenger and Debbie Tucker along with other talented musicians. Proceeds will benefit Archuleta Seniors Inc. (ASI) and the Pagosa Senior Center. Tickets for the event are available at www.pagosacenter.org.
Farmers market
vouchers available
Farmers market vouchers for seniors continue to be available. If you love to shop at the Pagosa Farmers Market, are 60 or older, or if you are 200 percent of poverty, please call Debbie at (970) 403-2164 at the Area Agency on Aging to put your name on the list for $50 in vouchers to redeem for local foods. Then visit the Pagosa Farmers Market any Saturday during the growing season (June-September) to pick up your $50 voucher to support the local food artisans and growers in southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico. The Pagosa Farmers Market is located on the third row of the East Side Market and is open only on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through September.
Text us at (970) 264-2167
The Community Cafe is now accepting text messaging for meal reservations, cancellations and/or communication of any kind. When texting, please include your name, phone number and the days you want a meal. If you are calling to cancel a reservation, please include your name, phone number and the days you want to cancel. Texting services are available for dining-in meal reservations, Grab-n-Go meals and Meals on Wheels recipients.
Mahjong
Mahjong is a 19th century Chinese tile-based game that is commonly played with four players. Each player receives 13 tiles with a goal to make matching sets and pairs (like poker). To win, a player must form four sets and one pair. Come to the Senior Center to learn or play every Tuesday at 1:15 p.m. Proof of vaccination is required.
Medicare call by
appointment
For anyone who needs help enrolling and navigating Medicare plans, we help with parts A, B and D. We can also help you with fraud concerns and troubleshooting any billing issues you may be having. By appointment only. Please call our Medicare line at (970) 264-0501, ext 4.
Bridge
The longest-played bridge game in Archuleta County takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays at 1 p.m. Bridge is a four-player card game with partners sitting opposite each other around a table. It is a trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. Come alone or bring a partner. Proof of vaccinations is required.
Volunteers needed
The Community Cafe at the Senior Center is requesting volunteers to help with greeting customers. Please call or text us at (970) 264-2167 to volunteer or for more information.
ASI board vacancy
The ASI Board of Directors has one vacant position open for financial oversight and policy implementation for the organization and Senior Center staff. Terms are three years with an option to renew for an additional term. Potential candidates should be at least 55 years of age or older and must have a passion for adult and aging services.
Community Cafe menu
Thursday, Sept. 8 — Beef French dip sandwich with yucca fries, garden salad, fruit and Key lime pie.
Friday, Sept. 9 — Spanakopita greens with polenta, potato leek soup, garden salad, fruit and cookie.
Monday, Sept. 12 — Curry chicken with jasmine rice, roasted cauliflower, chai pudding, garden salad and fresh fruit.
Tuesday, Sept. 13 — Roasted vegetable crepes with asiago cream sauce, roasted squash, roll and butter, garden salad and fruit.
Wednesday, Sept. 14 — Pork posole with tortilla, cabbage, radishes, onion, broccoli, fruit and carrot cake.
Thursday, Sept. 15 — Teriyaki salmon with fried rice, sauteed zucchini, dinner roll with butter, garden salad and fruit.
Friday, Sept. 16 — Yankee pot roast with vegetables, wilted spinach, garden salad, fruit and Mississippi mud pie.
Grab-N-Go meals
Grab-N-Go meals reservations and cancellations are required. Please call or text by 9 a.m. the morning of the day you want to pick up a meal. A suggested donation of $5 helps to sustain our program. No one will be turned away for their inability to donate. For ages 59 and younger, the cost is $10. Please call or text us at (970) 264-2167 to make a reservation.
Meals on Wheels
We deliver fresh Meals on Wheels five days a week (and provide frozen Meals on Wheels for weekends) to homebound Archuleta County residents. Call or text us at (970) 264-2167.
Requesting donations
ASI has an immediate monetary need to support ongoing operations and programming that provide critical services to some of the most vulnerable in Archuleta County. Please consider donating to ASI.
You may mail your donation to P.O. Box 3444, Pagosa Springs CO 81147 or please visit our website, http://www.psseniors.org/. Donation checks can be written to Archuleta Seniors Inc. We are located at 451 Hot Springs Blvd. For more information about ASI, please visit http://www.psseniors.org/.
